Electric switch



Aug. 13, 1935. H. H. RUDD ET AL ELECTR'IC S WITCH Filed April 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 13, 1935.

H.'H. RUDD ET AL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,011,503 ELECTRIC swrrcn Application April 28, 1932, Serial No. 608,090 I 12 Claims. ((1200-48) 5 interchangeable contact elements and constructed with a minimum number of different parts.

In the use of switches, and particularly those which are subjected to severe service, such as out-of-door switches and those which are oper ated frequently, it is necessary for operators to have available all of the switch parts necessary to effect replacement of parts which may become unserviceable through wear or breakage. It' is also often desirable to have available additional switches in the event it is necessary to construct new circuits, without waiting for the delivery of switches.

Heretdfore, in view of the. fact that nearly all of the parts which constituted a switch have been dissimilar, it has been necessary that a large number of different parts be kept in stock by the operators. Such a' requirement has been found to be highly unsatisfactory because it has required an investment in material, which, after purchase, lay idle for a considerable period of time and further because many of the parts thus kept in stock were not used before the switch design was altered, and thus these parts had to be scrapped and this component of the investment on the switches therefore represented a total loss.

According to the present invention, the two switch elements are made identical in all respects and thus the number of different parts constituting a switch is reduced materially, in some cases, nearly one-half the former number. This advantageous result is obtained by a novel construction of contact elements, which elements are so constructed that, although identical, they mutually engage in firm; high pressure contact. Each of the contact elements is constituted, by a pair of spaced arms having their free ends tapered whereby either element is adapted to enter the space between the arms of the other element and make contact therewith. is immaterial which element is the entering element, the elements are fully interchangeable and may be identical in construction as compared with the prior devices wherein there is provided a male element and a female element or a blade and a jaw.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a high voltage switch having identical, interchangeable switch elements.

A further object of the invention is the pro- Since it 1 vision of a switch of the high contact type which is simple and inexpensive to construct, certain and durable in operation and which is constituted by a minimum number of different parts. More particularly, an object is to provide a hornless type of disconnect switch in which each contact element includes but one contact member and in which the contact members may be and preferably are of identical construction.

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view showing the switch in closed position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one set of switch elements of a group of switches similar to the switch shown in Fig. 1, a

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a ment,-

Figs. 4 and 5 are end elevational views showing a modified form of'theswitch, showing the switch in open and closed positions respectively, and

Fig. 6 is a. perspective view showing the modified form of contact element.

Referring to Fig. 1, the switch comprises two identical switch elements I, 2, of which only one will be described indetail herein. Mounted on a base 3 is a U-shaped strip 4 on which is pivoted an angle iron 5. The angle iron 5 carries on one leg a connecting member 6 of insulating material and on the other leg the switch element l.

The switch element l comprises a pin-type, o skirted insulator I having a metallic cap 8 to which a contact element I0 is clamped by a terminal member H; Attached to the terminal member II is a semiflexible connector I! by which connection is made to the line conductor i3 contact ele- 15 Referring to Fig. 3, the contact element l0 preferably is formed from composite rod material which has a relatively high electrical conductivity and a relatively high coefficient of elasticity. The

copper sheathed steelrods, known commercially under the trade name Copperweld, have proved satisfactory since the steel core provides resiliency and the copper jacket provides a low resistance path for current flow. The contact ele- 5 ment I0 is formed by bending two separate rods l4, l5 each into the form of. a triangle having one side extended and these rods are joined by a cross-piece l6 welded to each rod at a point near the welded apex of the triangle, the triano0 gular portions lying in parallel planes. The end portions of the free end of the rods l4, I5 are inclined toward each other in the principal plane of the rods to form a taper on the contact element I0 ti ius constituted by the rods.

A substantially identical switch element 2 is fixedly mounted on the base 3 in such a position that its contact element I0 engages the contact element III of the pivoted switch element I when the latter is rotated into closed position as shown in Fi 1.

The contact elements I0, III are so positioned that when the pivoted switch'element I is rotated by an actuating member I'I, secured to the connecting member Ii, from the dotted line position through a counter-clockwise movement toward the closed position, shown in full lines, the tapered end of the stationary contact element Ill enters the space between the arms of the movable contact element III at a point adjacent the ends of this element. As the movable switch element I is rotated further, the arms of the contact element III are spread apart by the wedging action of the arms of the other contact element I0 and slide down along the latter to the full line position wherein the arms of the respective contact elements III, III are disposed substantially in perpendicular relation and are tightly wedged.

Since the arms of the respective contact elements III, III are of circular cross-section and since. the mutually contacting arms lie substantially at right angles, the areas of contact between the arms are theoretically points and actually, the contact between the arms is of the order of point contact. The arms of the contact elements III, III are so spaced and have such stiffness that a high pressure is placed on the contact areas when the switch is closed, hence the pressure for aunit area is very high and the switch may be considered as of the high pressure contact type.

It is particularly to be noted that the switch would be termed a hornless switch it classified in accordance with the definitions applicable to prior switch constructions since it does not include a set of current-carrying contacts and a set of horns for breaking the arc at points remote from the first contacts. Separate horns are unnecessary in the novel switch since the shape and relative movements 01' the contact arms are such that the arc is broken between the contact arms but at points remote from the contact areas which carry the current when the switch is closed.

As will be seen from Fig. 1, the Uf-shaped supporting member 4 serves as a stop for the switch element I in both of its extreme positions. When the rotatable switch element I is in "open position, the angle iron 5 bears against the side edge of the support I to prevent further rotation of the element I and similarly, when the element I is in closed" position, the angle iron 5 rests upon I the top edge of the support 4.

In Fig. 2 is shown one set of switch elements I, I, I constituting a group switch. Three switch elements I, I, I are separately mounted as above described, and are joined by the connecting member 6 constituted by a timber by which they may be simultaneously rotated. The timber member 6 serves both as a mechanical connection between the elements I, I, I and as an insulating member,

so that no additional insulating member is required.

i In Figs. 4 'and 5 is shown a modified form of tact element I 8 is formed of a single rod as shown. the switch which is particularly adapted for circuits where the voltages are lower than those for which the first form of switch is used. In this form 01' switch the parts are substantially the same as in the first form except that the conparticularly in Fig. 6. The rod I9 is formed with a single reversebend in the shape of an elongated U and the portion including the bend is inclined out of the principal plane of the arms of the U at an angle of somewhat less than The ends 5 of the arms are bent into mutual proximity as in the first form.

Except for the shape of the contact or blade members Illa and Illa, the switch construction 10 may be and, as illustrated, is substantially the same as that previously described.

From the description and drawings, it will be seen that the present invention provides a switch in which the two cooperating switch elements are identical in all respects. Such a design not only permits the construction of switches at a less cost than heretofore but, what isalso of importance to the operator, the present invention efiects a large saving in the number of different parts required for repair of the switch and re placement of unserviceable parts.

While the drawings illustrate the contact elements as supported by a rocker type switch having one pivoted insulator column, it will be ap-" parent that other types of supporting and operating structure may be employed.

We claim:

1. An electric switch comprising two identical switch elements, each element having contact means consisting of a pair of spaced and substantially parallel arms, and means mounting said elements for movement into mutual enswitch element.

2. In an electric switch, a switch element having contact means consisting of a pair of spaced parallel contact arms having their ends bent into mutual proximity, an insulating member, means mounting said arms to said insulating member with the said bent ends remote from said mounting means, a second switch element identical to said first element and mounted on asecond insulating member, and means for effecting rela- 55/ tive movement of said insulating members to force the contact arms of one element into mutual wedging engagement with the contact arms of the other element.

3. An electric switch comprising a plurality of switch elements, means fixedly mounting said elements in spaced relation, a plurality of -movable switch elements each comprising an insulator and a switch contact mounted thereon, means mounting the several insulators of said movable switch elements for rocking movement to carry said switch contacts into engagement with said first elements respectively, and a single bar of insulating material constituting insulating means connecting said movement.

4. ,A switch comprising, in combination, a pair of insulator elements, substantially identical contact members secured on said insulator members and each comprising a pair of spaced, parallel 70 rods having their outer ends inclined toward but normally spaced from each other and operating means for effecting relative movement of said insulator members to introduce the outer end of one of said contact members into the space be- 7 insulators for simultaneous J65 elements for relative movement to introduce the outer end of one contact element into the space between the rod members of the other contact element and to continue the relative movement to wedge said contact elements into firm engagement.

6. A disconnect switch as claimed in claim 5,

' wherein the said spaced members of each contact element comprise the opposite side portions of a resilientrod bent to elongated U-shape,'the free ends of the rod being inclined into' prox 'imity to each other and the central bend portion of the U-shaped rod beingbent out of the plane of the said outer side portions.

7. A disconnect switch as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the spaced members of each pair comprises a single resilient rod bent to the form of a triangle having one side extended beyond the triangle, means extending between said rods substantially at the points where the said sides project beyond the triangular portion, the bases of the triangular portions being adapted to be clamped to the insulating support on which the respective pair of contact members is mounted.

8. In a disconnect switch, a pair of switch members each including means adapted to be brought into and out of contact with the corresponding means. of the other switch member, and means for effecting relative movement of said'members alternatively to make and to break contact of thesaid means; said means of each member consisting of a pair of spaced resilient rod members, the pair of rod members of each means having free ends turned towards and spaced from each other.

9. A switch member consisting of a pair 0 resilient rod members having free ends inclined into proximity to each other, the opposite ends of each rod. being bent back and secured to the respective rods at points remote from the said free endsQfand securing mean-s extending between said rods'adjacent the said points to which said bent ends, are secured.

10. A switch contact member consisting of a single resilient rod bent to elongated U-form, the central bend section of said rod being bent out of the plane of the outer side portions of the U-form rod, and the freev ends of said rod being inclined into proximity with each other.

11. An electric switch comprising a plurality of angle members, mounting plates having two mutually inclined surfaces, means including pivots adjacent the junctions of said inclined surfaces mounting the respective angle members for rocking movement about an axis adjacent the outer edge of similar flanges of said angle members, a plurality of switch elements, means securing each of said switch elements upon corresponding flanges of said angle members, and an operating member secured to the other flanges .,of all of said members for rocking all of said switch elements simultaneously, the flanges of said angle members adjacent said pivotal axis contacting alternately with the saidinclined surfaces of said mounting plates to limit the rocking movement of said angle members.

12. An electric switch as claimed in claim 11, wherein the said operating member comprises a wooden tie secured to said angle members, and means connected to said wooden tie for rocking said a'ngle members to open and to close said switches.

' HAROLD H. RUDD.

SAMUEL; H. SPARKS. 

